HÀ NỘI — All 63 provinces and cities across the country have allowed students at different educational level to remain off from school to stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

The decision followed a proposal from the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET). Fifty-six provinces and cities agreed that students could be absent until the end of this month, while the others would allow them to stay home until the end of this week.

The MoET will delay the end of the school year, so students could make up for missed lessons, and send the plan to localities.

Nguyễn Xuân Thành, deputy director of the Secondary Education Department under the MoET, said that tests and examinations would be considered to ensure students’ rights, and also would not affect the next school year.

Preparation for the exams would also be shortened so that students would have enough time for revision, he said.

Quarantine

The Medical Services Administration under the Ministry of Health (MoH) has sent a letter to hospital directors and local departments of health to ask for closer management over people with COVID-19, or suspected of being infected.

To better manage them, the administration asked concerned organisations to classify patients, quarantine them, and supervise them based on the MoH’s instructions.

Medical organisations should cooperate with local authorities and police in managing the patients.

Hospitals and local authorities will have to bear responsibility if any patients leave quarantine areas before being allowed to.

In another development, the northern province of Bắc Kạn on Saturday received 173 workers from China. All have had health checks and are in a stable condition. They are now quarantined and under supervision. 

The Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex) is exerting efforts to produce around 6 million antibacterial face masks in February to meet increasing demand amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. 

Inspection

Nguyễn Văn Trì, chairman of the Vĩnh Phúc Province People’s Committee and head of the provincial steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control on Sunday checked prevention work at the Phúc Yên City Industrial Zone and Phúc Yên General Hospital.

The inspection showed that both organisations had implemented preventive work well and helped educate residents about COVID-19.

So far 11 people in the province have tested positive to COVID-19, nine in Bình Xuyên District, one in Tam Đảo District and one in Tam Dương District. As many as 74 suspected cases were quarantined and supervised. All of them are in a stable condition.

Twelve stations were set up around Sơn Lôi Commune in Bình Xuyên District. Police, with soldiers and medical workers on duty for 20 days to keep a close watch on the quarantine.

The province has 87,000 workers at industrial zones. — VNS